As Time Goes By
by SparkleUnidog
Summary: Oneshot // Yuugi didn't know how to deal with the fact that Yami was going leave him. So, during the last week, before the Ceremonial Duel, he locked himself in his Soulroom... // Puzzleshipping


_Summary: Yuugi didn't know how to deal with the fact that Yami was going leave him. So, during the last week, before the Ceremonial Duel, he locked himself in his Soulroom... // Puzzleshipping_

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**Machi: **Almost every Puzzleshipping fan's Profile has a story like this. It wouldn't seem right to have one without this story to make the collection complete, no? Please enjoy. ^^

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yugioh.

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**As Time Goes By**

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_**I couldn't handle it. I thought I could, thought I was... but I couldn't. I really couldn't.**_

"_Aibou..." Yami began, smiling down at Yuugi, who was staring up at him in wonder. "I love you."_

_**It made me so happy... to hear you say that. Those three, wonderful words. I have loved you for so long. At first, I was happy to be near you, to spend every moment of every day with you... but as time went by, the need to tell you my feelings grew. I felt that, if I didn't soon, I would blow. But...**_

_Yuugi's eyes widened, before he broke into a huge grin. "Oh, Mou Hitori No Boku..." He jumped into Yami's arms, hugging him tightly. "I love you too..." He began, spotting Yami's head beginning to lower. He tilted his, waiting for the kiss to come. "So much..."_

_**We had so many wonderful nights... Because of what was going on; The Battle City tournament, the Doma and so on... we didn't really have time for each other during the day. Besides, it was easier to wait till night-time so we could meet each other in our Soulrooms without interruptions.**_

"_Aibou?" Yami called, knocking on Yuugi's Soulroom door. It wasn't normally closed, but when his body and mind went to sleep, the door closed by itself. Yami had to wake Yuugi up so it was unlocked, allowing him to go in. Besides, Yami didn't like just barging right in – it WAS Yuugi's soul, after all._

"_I'm up, Mou Hitori No Boku." Yuugi's door-muffled voice floated through. "The door's open, too."_

_With a small smile, Yami turned the handle and opened the door, pushing it open and walking in, spotting Yuugi sitting up in his Soulroom bed, rubbing an eye with a fist. No matter how many nights he knew Yami was coming, he always fell asleep. Yami smiled more at the cute sight. "Sleepy, Little One?" He asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed._

_Yuugi smiled back at him, moving slightly so Yami could slip in and sit next to him. "I always am, but I'm awake now." He cuddled into the taller's arms, purring slightly when Yami began to run his fingers through his hair. "Although, I may fall back to sleep at this rate..."_

"_That's alright." Yami soothed, lovingly watching Yuugi's eyes droop again. "As long as I get to cuddle you."_

_**So many nights were like that. We either talked, cuddled or did little kissing sessions. But whatever we did, we always stayed in each other's arms, asleep or awake.**_

_**And then, our first night together came. Like always, we were cuddling in bed, talking, kissing... when suddenly, it heated. Soon, you were kissing my ear, my neck, my chest... we both got so aroused, full of lust, passion and love... I remember you're eyes burning into mine, getting both yourself and me back to earth long enough to ask if I was ready... and I knew I was. I was ready for you to make love to me...**_

_Yami cuddled Yuugi tenderly in his arms, running his fingers through the smaller's slightly damp hair. Both were still covered in a sheen of sweat, Yuugi's eyes still closed as his panting went down. "You okay?"_

_Yuugi was now grinning, his eyes opening, so full of love... "Yeah..." His grin turned cheeky. "I'm gonna be sore tomorrow, aren't I?"_

"_Oh yes." This made Yuugi laugh. "Yuugi... you don't regret it, do you?"_

"_What?" He looked up into worried crimson. "Oh god, Mou Hitori No Boku, no... I don't." He moved closer in Yami's arms, burring his face into his chest. "And I never will."_

_**But by the way I've been acting this last week... you'd think I did.**_

"_Aibou... don't be so sad."_

_Yuugi cried. How could he not? The last month, since Yami, no... Atemu, got his memories back... the thought never left his mind: He's going to leave me soon, he's going to leave me soon..._

"_P-please..." He sobbed. "Don't leave... do go! I love you!"_

_Yami hugged him tightly. They were, once again, in Yuugi's Soulroom bed, having spent a few hours together. "I know... I love you too. I don't want to go either. But... I can't stay, no matter how much I want to." _

_**And it's that, that I regret... not your love.**_

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"Yuugi, Aibou?" Yami called through the locked down. He placed both hands on it, forehead leant against it. "Aibou..." He closed his eyes, voice filled with pain, like it always did the last six days. "Please, Aibou... open the door."

Silence came. No answer, no muffled sobs, no nothing. Yuugi stayed silent on the other side of the door, not wanting to let the other in. This made Yami sigh sadly.

"Please, Yuugi. Let me in. Don't shut me out. Not now."

Some more minutes went by, before Yami, like always this week, gave up. He decided to go, but not before leaving one last say.

"Aibou... I know your in pain. Even if I didn't feel it through our bond, my heart would... and does. That's because I'm in pain, too. I don't want to go, but I must. I don't belong here. Like many say; if a bird and fish fell in love... where would they live?" Another sigh. "Yuugi... I love you. I have since the very moment you freed me from the darkness. And I always will. I knew, deep down, that I would have to one day leave, even if I didn't want to believe it. I had wanted to spend all the time we had left together... to the very last day."

Yami took his forehead off the door, gazing sadly at it. He knew some stray tears were rolling down his cheeks, but he didn't care. "I understand why your keeping me out, and I don't blame you. I never will." Still silence came. So with one last tender look at the door, he turned and walked back to his. "I love you, Aibou."

On the other side, Yuugi sat on the floor, back against the door, knees wrapped up in his arms. He had his face hidden in his knees, eyes red and puffy from his crying early on. From the moment Yami had come to his door, he wanted nothing but to jump up and open it, run into his darkness's arms and cry and kiss and hug and say "I love you" and everything else...

But he didn't. He sat there, and, like the other nights, listen to Yami speak to him so broken heartedly...

Yuugi knew that he was hurting his love so deeply with him acting this way. He didn't want to, but he didn't know what to do! It was easy before, when he didn't know Yami would leave... even when he learnt that he would one day, yet still, it looked like they still had a long time to spend with each other...

But once Yami got his memories back, they only had a month. At first, Yuugi felt he could handle it, spending even the daytime with Yami, not just the night-time. When it came to only being a week left, something in his heart snapped. The teen blocked his thoughts from the mindlink, locked his Soulroom door and didn't talk to Yami at all. He just stayed huddled in his Soul, going over and over one thought: Why?

"Why did I let it happen?" Yuugi asked himself, feeling tears come again. "Why did I fall in love with him?"

_I should have know that falling for a spirit wouldn't work out... _He thought miserably. _I'm alive and he's... not. But my heart wouldn't listen... I love him, and he loves me. But..._

_I don't want him to leave._

_...How will I survive when he's gone?_

Yuugi didn't want to be in denial, but he knew that he was ignoring the fact that tomorrow, they would arrive in Egypt, and Yami would leave. Somehow, Yuugi knew deep down, that _he_ would be the one to make it happen. And that was what was truly making him act this way towards his dark – the less he showed his love, the more he would make Yami feel he was no longer wanted here... the easier it would be for the both of them to say goodbye.

Even if that wasn't true.

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Yuugi fell to his knees, watching tearfully as his Silent Magician vanished, after dealing the final blow. He won... he won the duel. Yet now... it was over. It was _all _over; the adventure, the travels, their love...

"You won... Aibou."

He couldn't take it. The tears fell even harder, the truth of what he had done sinking in.

"Don't cry, Aibou." Yami told him, kneeling down and putting a hand on his shoulder. There was so much more he wanted to do, after being able to touch him again after being shut out that week, but... he wasn't sure how Yuugi would act. "A winner shouldn't cry for his win."

"But it's not fair..." Yuugi sobbed. "My win means I've sent you away to your death. I know I'm selfish, but... but..." His eyes clamped shut. If only he could say more. "Oh M-Mou Hitori No B-Boku..."

Yami shook his head. "No, Aibou. I am not "the other you". Not anymore." Yuugi opened his eyes and looked up, slightly surprised. The taller put his other hand on his shoulder, helping the younger to stand up. "I'm so proud of you, you know that right? You've taught me so much, Aibou... You've shown me what true strength is. So like I am always telling you; you have the heart of a Pharaoh." He gave a waterlogged grin, tapping Yuugi's nose. There was so much to say... so much he _wanted_ to say, but with his and Yuugi's heart braking so much... with the pain they both have felt this past week... he didn't feel like he could. "Aibou, you are this world's one and only Mutou Yuugi. Don't ever forget that."

All Yuugi could do was look down and nod, unable to gaze into those crimson eyes he loved so much anymore. He felt Yami's hands leave his shoulders, the sounds of his footsteps echoing as the other headed towards the Gateway to the Afterlife.

"My name, is Atemu!" Yami called, the sounds of the Gateway now opening at the command of the name. Three more steps were heard, before the voices of Jounouchi, Anzu and Honda cried out, shouting out confusion and reasons for him to stay. Others held back, watching this, yet Yuugi... he listened. Yes, he agreed with Honda... he didn't understand why he had to go. Yes, he understood with Anzu... he should stay with them, he was their friend, their family... his love. Yes, he agreed with Jounouchi... Yami had somewhere he needed to go, now that his destiny was complete. But...

Yami turned and grinned, before turning back, ready to walk again.

But... what Yuugi didn't agree with was _himself_ leaving his and Yami's relationship to end like this...

"Yami!" Yuugi yelled, running forward and flinging himself into the Pharaoh's surprised arms. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for the way I've treated you this past week... I didn't mean... I didn't want... oh god, I'm so sorry!"

Yami held him tightly, speaking soothing words to calm him down. The others behind them seemed confused. What had Yuugi done to apologise for? Yami however, ignored them for the moment. "Aibou, there is nothing for you to apologise for." He said in his ear, running his fingers through Yuugi's hair.

"But Yami... I hurt you!"

"No you didn't." A nuzzle. God, he missed nuzzling his little one. "We are both hurting. I understood why you did it."

"Your leaving me..."

"Not forever."

Yuugi blinked his tear-filled eyes, pulling away slightly to look at his smiling other. "What?"

"I'm going to the Afterlife. One day, you will go there too." He patted Yuugi's head. "And I'll be waiting for you."

"...Really?"

"Really." Then, Yami turned serious. "But that doesn't mean I don't want you to live your life, Yuugi. I want you to live and do all the things you ever wanted to do, even find new love if you can-"

"There would never be someone else, Yami."

"But still Aibou, don't only live half a life. Please? I want to hear of everything you ever did when I next see you."

Yuugi broke into a smile. Live his life, do all the things he wanted and then tell Yami all about it... even if it will be a good few years before he did.

He could handle that.

"Can I... have one last kiss, before you go?"

Yami grinned. "Of cause, Aibou." He leant down, Yuugi beginning to move, to meet him halfway. "But it won't be the last."

_**Even though you forgave me, even if you still sent me that loving smile as you past through the gateway, even if you stood with your old friends and family, waving to all of us, shouting about how you wouldn't forget, as the door closed shut... I still would always regret wasting the last moments we had together.**_

_**But, like you said, we'll see each other again, someday.**_

_**And I await that day.**_

_**But for now, I will live my life.**_

_**Because I love you.**_

_**And that, is something, I won't ever regret.**_

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**Machi:** I stare at this and take forever to write it and change stuff and yet still... I think it's crap. -shrugs- Well, hope you all enjoyed it anyway.

**Sorry for any mistakes in the chapter.**

Um... please review? Even to say it's crap? =];


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